Diet After Hernia Surgery

After any surgery, consuming a healthy diet is essential to healing and a speedy recovery. However, diet after hernia surgery is a little more specialized than just getting the right balance of nutrients. While the specifics will vary based on where your hernia was located and how extensive the surgery was, most dietary guidelines after hernia repair in Baltimore are pretty similar.

Diet Directly After Hernia Repair

Right after surgery, your diet is likely to be restricted to liquids for 12 to 24 hours, especially if the hernia involved the intestines. This liquid diet is for a few reasons. First, many patients experience nausea and vomiting from anesthesia, which solid food can aggravate. Second, it is best to keep pressure off the abdomen and intestines after most hernia repairs.

Diet While Healing From Hernia Repair

Once you are cleared for semi-solid or solid foods after your hernia repair in Baltimore, you will still need to restrict your diet to a degree. During the first several days after surgery, it is a good idea to stick with very soft foods that won’t require your abdominal or intestinal muscles to strain. Foods to eat after hernia surgery at this stage include:

• Milk
• Plain yogurt
• Sorbet
• Vanilla ice cream
• Strained creamed vegetables and other purees
• Nutritional drinks (no chocolate)
• Vanilla pudding

Once you are able to start with more solid foods, you need to focus on fiber-rich options and staying hydrated. Foods to eat after hernia surgery include any that are high fiber or have a high water content—just avoid anything you know will make you gassy. Options include:

• Watermelon
• Apples
• Pears
• Bananas
• Green beans
• Zucchini
• Eggplant
• Whole-grain rice
• Whole-grain bread
• Oatmeal
• Bran

You should also focus on getting lean protein into each meal. Avoid meats that are hard to digest, such as steak. Fish, chicken breast, and softer cuts of beef and pork will get the job done, as will dairy items like cheese and eggs. However, if cheese tends to constipate you, avoid it until fully healed.

Listen to Your Doctor

Keep in mind that the above are merely general guidelines. What is right for you when it comes to a post-hernia repair diet may be different. If your doctor’s advice contradicts ours, go with what your doctor says. They understand your situation best. For more information on hernia repair or other surgeries, such as bariatric revision in Baltimore, contact us at  Maryland Bariatrics today.